1965 Dodge Coronet 500

Jack writes: I am the original and only owner of a 1965 Dodge Coronet 500. I bought it new from a dealer in N. W. Indiana. I ordered it with the 426 wedge, H. D. TF, State Police heavy duty suspension, tinted glass, radio, heater, and little else. No PS or PW or PB.

The dealer said I would have a hard time trading it in with no power assists and I just laughed at him!

I drag raced it at the old U.S. 30 Drag strip in NW Indiana.

In the years I have owned it I have continually played with it mechanically while leaving it stock appearing, (almost). By the way, it is Dark Turquoise metallic with a black bucket seat interior. Despite also being my daily driver until about 1980 and residing in the rust belt, the car is rust free thanks to Zeibart, and still looks pretty much like new thanks to a couple of repaints over the years. Being a driver, you can't get away from repainting now and then. The last repaint was done about 12 years ago and is holding up excellent since the car is now only a toy.

At times I get comments about the grille and rear trunk panel being partially blacked out, but this is the way the car has been for 40 years and the way it will stay for now! Other than chrome 17 inch wheels wearing Nitto rubber, and the TTI 3 inch tailpipes sticking out the rear, the car is stock appearing. The 17 inch wheels were chosen in order to get the biggest possible footprint on the rear for as much traction as possible without tubbing the car.

Over the years, I have had every possible induction system on the car from stock to dual quads to a 6 pak setup and even a 4 deuce set up I made, which actually worked pretty good. It was patterned after the old Corvette ManaFre setup.

Currently the 426 is pushing 485 cu. in. and a few other mod's. It has run 12:18 @ 113 mph, in drive, thru the mufflers, with a full tank of gas and a full ice chest and tools in the trunk. I did not try to run it any harder as the car was obviously running lean at anything above 5000 rpm and I did not have the means to correct at the time.

1965 Dodge Coronet 500, 426 engine - front view

1965 Dodge Coronet 500, 426 engine - side view

The car is totally streetable, the hydraulic cam idles smoothly and it get about 12 mpg average, but mostly rural driving. I really don't race it anymore, just ran it to see what it would do since my last rebuild. Next year I hope to get the fuel issues solved and it should easily run in the 11's. Unfortunately traction is the big problem. The car has so much torque I am trying to figure out how to get a better launch without cutting the car or any other such foolishness. I am actually considering putting the original 3:23 SureGrip back in. It now has a 3:55 SureGrip, and it really doesn't need it for the launch!!!! I'm thinking LESS gear might actually give me a better launch!

1965 Dodge Coronet 500, passenger side rear

By the way, I also have a 1960 Dart D-500 convertible which I bought as my first car when I was 19. I know you are interested in cars from 1962 to 1965, but I can tell you my 1960 Dart is one heck of a ride!

I bought the 1960 Dart new from Essermann Dodge in Chicago when I was 19. I was actually 18 when I ordered it, but had to wait 6 months for delivery! When I ordered it, the D-500 package came with a 361 cu in. By the time mine came thru, it had a 383 in it. I also ordered it with the State Police package, no ps or pb, and Satin White exterior with a Mediterranean Blue and Satin White vinyl interior.

I raced the Dart at the Super Stock Optional at U.S. 30 Drag Strip in N. W. Indiana. Oh, and it had a 3 speed T-85 Borg Warner HD stick trans. This was a mistake on my part as the TF would have been a smarter choice! The car dyno'd at Willy's Dyno Shop in Blue Island Illinois at 206 hp at 2800 rpm. The operator didn't believe it so he took it next bay over to a different dyno with the same results! At the time, Willy's said it was the highest hp any stock motor ever did at their shop. For comparison, a 406 Ford tri-power would pull about 140 hp at 3600 rpm.

Anyway, the car was quicker, faster, and handled better than my dual quad 4 speed 'vette that I owned at the same time! I was timed a 162 mph running 9:00/14 Goodyear Double Eagle tires and a 3:23 SureGrip. The car would run 110 mph plus in 2nd gear. Now, you have my permission to call me a b.s. artist if you wish, I wouldn't blame you! With limited traction, the best et was only 13:10. I used to regularly wind the 383 to 7000 rpm! Yes, it would! I didn't believe the tach, but had it checked and it was accurate. I could tell you a lot of war story's involving me and running from the police, never being caught! But I won't. I am not nearly as nuts anymore! Street racing was the big thing around these parts back in the day, but time and population growth put an end to that!

The 383 is long gone, as is the T-85. I ran a 413 ram and a 1962 aluminum TF replaced the T-85, a much better trans!

Now, the 413 is stored in my pole barn and I have a fresh 440 Ram ready to go in!

My other son, who is a pro painter, has the car ready for it's third paint job. I should be getting it back before Christmas. We completely stripped the car this time to do a rotisserie overhaul. I have parts everywhere! My interior is in one of my bedrooms, and my pole barn is full of labeled boxes of parts.

The 1960 will take until I finish putting it back together. As good as it ran before, with the 440 it should be stupid fast! It should also handle better as we re-built the front suspension with polyurethane bushings! Had to machine special parts as no one actually makes correct polyurethane parts for this car!

So, my '60 and my '65 are my favorite toys!

Thanks, Jack!

Wahoo! You are a lucky man!

Many people tell me “I wish I kept that Mopar!” — but you actually DID...TWICE!

Gary H.

Page posted on November 27, 2005
Revised November 28, 2005; February 1, 2006

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